Friday, May 8, 2015

It’s the last week of school, you are going from one
activity to the next and suddenly you realize you have forgotten an important
item – TEACHER GIFTS. There is nothing worse than realizing at 9pm the night
before the last day of school either … ask me how I know.

Well, fear not! We have some great teacher gifts that are
quick and easy. Simply download the design, hit your stash and stitch it out.
In minutes you have an adorable, personalized present that looks like you
slaved for hours in your sewing room.

Stitch out these adorable tags in any 4X4 hoop. Then simply
fill a mason jar with some candy (purchase supplies at any grocery store) for a
sweet teacher gift. Choose from eleven different designs included for both
teachers and principals. Also included in with the designs are some recipes for
Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar and S’Mores in a Jar and directions for
cooking the treats.

Perfect for year-end gifts, teacher appreciation week or any
time your teacher has gone above and beyond, these adorable badges can be
stitched out in a 4X4 or larger hoop. This In the Hoop design tells your
favorite teacher that they are #1 in your book.

What teacher doesn’t want a gift card from their favorite
store or coffee shop? So stitch up a cute gift cardholder to show them who is
your favorite too. The adorable apple design stitches out in hoops that are 5X7
or larger.

Your child’s teacher will be thinking of them every day when
they use this beautiful cup cozy. This unisex design can be made masculine or
feminine through fabric selection. Pair it with a gift card to their fave
coffee spot for a gift that is sure to please. Requires a 6X10 Hoop.

Stitch up a quick and easy teacher gift. These in the hoop designs are fun and easy. Have your kids choose fabrics and colors to make a truly personal gift your favorite teacher is sure to love.

Monday, March 9, 2015

One of the first ‘must-haves’ after you purchase an
embroidery machine is stabilizer. Not only do you need stabilizer for every single one of your embroidery projects, but using the correct type of stabilizer will make the difference in having a successful project, instead of one that's destined for the trash bin (or worse yet - the seam ripper.) Despite its importance, stabilizer may be the most confusing thing to purchase! Let's go over the most common types of stabilizers used with "in the hoop" projects to help clear up some confusion...

I've tried many brands of stabilizers over the years and firmly believe Floriani stabilizers are the best. I like them so much we started carrying this single brand on our website last year! In addition to having a superior product, the folks at RNK, the sole distributors of Floriani products, are some of the nicest people in this industry! Floriani offers a fabulous beginner's kit with several basic stabilizers to get you started, plus a bonus set of their gorgeous embroidery thread.

Here is a quick guide to help you as you navigate the wonderful world of stabilizers!

Tearaway Stabilizer

This type of stabilizer describes the fact that once your
embroidery is stitched out, the stabilizer is easily torn away when you are
ready to remove it. Because it is (usually) lightweight and less dense, it is
best used with designs with lower stitch counts, and woven fabrics like cotton that can withstand being pulled. It
is ideal in many in the hoop projects and the type of stabilizer I use most of the time.

Like the name states, cutaway stabilizer must be trimmed
using scissors. It is dense and strong, so it can support heavy embroidery
designs. The resulting design will also be less
likely to distort or pucker with normal wear.

My go-to cutaway is Floriani's No Show. This type of stabilizer can be used on knits, such as
t-shirts and stays soft and flexible under the fabric. I also use it in my in the hoop projects, such as purses, hot pads, coasters, and more. It is available in fusible and non-fusible varieties.

Sticky stabilizer is a paper-backed product in which you
peel part of the paper away after hooping to expose a sticky area that will
hold your fabric in place. This stabilizer is perfect for items that are
difficult to hoop.

Sticky stabilizer is also available with wet-to-stick
activation where instead of peeling away paper, you spritz the stabilizer with
water when you are ready to place your fabric on the hoop.

Both types of sticky stabilizer can be used in conjunction
with a cutaway or tearaway stabilizer for added stability. I use Floriani's Perfect Stick Stabilizer along with Fusible No Show Mesh when I embroider T-shirts.

Water Soluble
ToppingThis stabilizer is used on TOP of your embroidery project, in conjunction with tearaway or cutaway stabilizer. Water Soluble Topping helps keep your stitches from sinking down into the fabric when you're using a knit or high-pile fabric such as terry. It's also helpful to use over 'in the hoop' projects that have many layers which may get in the way of your presser foot.Click HERE to shop Floriani Water Soluble Topping
I hope I've given you a nice overview without all of the overwhelm that often comes with trying to select stabilizers for your embroidery projects! Feel free to email us with any stabilizer questions at info@picklepiedesigns.com.

Friday, February 27, 2015

Buying an embroidery machine can be intimidating. With hoop sizes and price ranges – it is like learning a new language! Not to mention that the embroidery module bumps up the price of the machine. Often times, sewists throw their hands up and give up saying “I don’t need embroidered towels anyway.”

Buying an embroidery machine is so much more than embroidered towels and it opens up a whole new world of sewing! From applique to in the hoop bags, there are so many amazing things an embroidery machine can allow you to do beyond the monogram.

How do you begin your search?

When you are looking for any new machine, the best thing you can do is try a variety of machines. While you can certainly buy a machine at “big box stores”, you cannot try out the machine before purchasing and there isn’t anyone there to teach you how to use it. Beyond threading the machine, embroidery has a learning curve. It helps to have someone to turn to for a lesson or for help when you need it. Sewing machine stores often offer lessons when you purchase a machine. They want to not only ensure you are happy but also want to establish a relationship with you.

If you can, your best bet is to go to a sewing expo at a convention center. Usually several sewing machine dealers are present and you can sit down and try out many different brands all in one day. If you don’t have an expo in your area, do a Google search for sewing machine dealers in your state. (Quilt shops sometimes carry machines too!) Take a week or two and visit a few. Have them stitch out an embroidery design so you can see the stitch quality in addition to seeing if it is easy to use.

What To Look For In A New Embroidery Machine

I wanted to get some more tips for you, so I headed straight to the Pickle Pie Facebook page and asked my followers what they loved about their machine. The response was overwhelming!

Here are their top tips of things to look for in a new embroidery machine:

Hoops: The Bigger The Better! You may think you will only use a small hoop but if you have a large hoop, I guarantee you will use it. (Just take a look at the Chloe Crossbody and Tablet Bag if you doubt it)

Buy from a dealer that will teach you how to use the machine - you can work with a smaller hoop if you learn how.

Embroidery only machines: Plus is that it only does embroidery, con is sometimes limited hoop size.

Screen Size: Make sure you can see the design well enough to stitch out the design.

Software: Do you need it? Is it easy to use? Chances are if you are just starting out, you do not need software unless you want to design your own embroidery designs or digitize images right from the start.

Bobbin sensors make a difference! It costs more, but the machine stops when the bobbin runs out. You will realize you need this the first time you walk away from the machine only to return five minutes later to find the bobbin ran out!

Get the most bells and whistles you can afford. You may think you can settle, but if you have extras like different hoops, chances are you will use them.

Multi needle machine – My fans really like their multi-needle machines. If you really get into embroidery, you will want to check these out.

Brands Matter – Customers seemed to be mostly brand loyal, once they found the machine they liked, they stuck with the brand. One more reason to try out more than one brand.

For more detailed information about specific machine models, see the comments on this Facebook link. There is some great information straight from people who use the machines. Just remember buying a machine is subjective - you have to find the right machine for you and your budget.
Please like us while you are there to keep up with all of our sales including flash sales and $5 Friday.

Congratulations! You bought a new embroidery machine. So why
is it still neatly packaged in the box?!? Why not take it out and start
learning about all the amazing things you can do with it? A whole new world of
creative possibility is at your fingertips. It is easy once you learn the
basics.

An embroidery machine can do so much more than monogram
towels. If you have explored our website, you know that I design in-the-hoop
projects such as:

·Purses

·Pot holders and coasters

·Gift bags and tags

·Hair accessories

·Pincusions

·Baby Accessories

·Toys

·Appliques

·Banners

And more!

Open The Box

Depending on the machine you purchased, it may be packaged
in one box, or the embroidery module may be in a separate box by itself. Open
the box and take out the machine and/or the embroidery module.

What do you need to
get started?

There will be an instruction manual, some embroidery designs
will be included in your machine and you may even have a starter pack of
stabilizer. Depending upon what kinds of projects you want to make, you will
need some basics:

·Stabilizer
– There are many different types of stabilizer on the market and each has a
different purpose. Check out Stabilizer 101 for specifics.

·Embroidery
Thread – Because embroidery designs are heavily stitched, the thread you
use in embroidery projects need to be strong in addition to being beautiful. I
love Floriani polyester thread for it’s sheen and durability.

·Fabric- From store bought wearables, to custom
made designs, to perfectly stitched in the hoop projects, you will be using
fabric in your embroidery machine. The type is completely up to you!

Ready, Set, Sew!

For starters, you will want to hoop up a test scrap and stitch
out a design. Grab a piece of fabric from your stash, an appropriate stabilizer
from your starter pack, and a design from your machine.

Hoop up the fabric and stabilizer and follow the
manufacturers instructions for using your machine. Don’t worry about having
everything perfect, this one is just to get a feel for the machine. So hoop up
some scrap fabric and don’t worry if the thread doesn’t match.

Checkout soon!

Please be sure to checkout soon as you're only guaranteed to get the items until after you've completed the checkout process. Items are be limited and if they sell out before you checkout, they will no longer appear in your shopping cart.

Shipping

Shipping is a flat rate of just $5 for everything you order, so go ahead and add more thread, stabilizer, or other items from our website and take advantage of the flat rate shipping! Please note: if you checkout then later that day decide to buy more, our system will not know that you've already paid shipping and you will be charged another $5. Never fear! Just shoot us an email to info@picklepiedesigns.com, and we'll be happy to refund the additional charge. so you'll only pay $5 shipping for all orders placed on the same day!

I hope this clarifies our Facebook sales process. Visit us every Thursday night to see the fabulous deals we have in store for you! See you next Thursday at 8 on our Facebook page!

Friday, November 7, 2014

If you love shopping for designs, fabric, and notions at great prices, as much as you love machine embroidery, then you'll adore our weekly Facebook Sales!

Every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST, we offer up a bunch of designs, kits fabric, thread, stabilizers, and other nifty embroidery and sewing goodies, right on our Facebook page. It's a fun, first-come first-served shopping frenzy that you don't want to miss!